Intellectual Property

Anatomy of a Confidentiality Agreement – Essential Clauses You Need

Confidentiality agreements, or non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), are essentially types of contracts that allow the parties to discuss certain matters openly, without fear of either party leaving the conversation and sharing…

Can Someone Stop Me From Using My Business Name?

Choosing a business name can feel like a creative act and can be quite daunting, but it also carries legal consequences. Already established businesses or individuals can take various legal…

A Stitch Too Far? Does Upcycling Fashion New Products or Unravel a Brand’s Reputation?

The rise of the circular economy is gradually altering the fashion industry. More and more consumers are looking beyond fast fashion and traditional high street shopping, and are instead tailoring…

Protecting Your Brand in the Age of Global E-Commerce: Where to Start

Launching a small business online is easier now than ever before. A Shopify or Etsy store, an Amazon listing, or a TikTok Shop account can put your products in front…

The Hidden IP Risks in Influencer and Creator Partnerships

Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful ways to grow a brand, as a well-chosen creator partnership can put your products in front of the right audience, build trust…

Being Human in the Age of AI

Given that we are constantly barraged with news related to Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in today’s world, it can be difficult to remember that AI was a relatively niche area of…

When an AI Search Engine Mentions Your Brand, Who Is Actually Speaking?

As AI-powered search becomes increasingly integrated into everyday online activity, courts are beginning to confront a question that would have seemed unimaginable only a few years ago: when an AI-generated…

Can Brands Really Control Where You Sell Their Products Online

The Court of Appeal has handed HOKA owner Deckers a significant victory in a case that could shape how premium brands control online sales in the future. The dispute started…

What Most Start-ups Get Wrong About Intellectual Property (And How to Fix It)

Intellectual property is one of the most widely misunderstood areas of law. Every day, we meet brilliant start-ups with exceptional products, innovative ideas and the capital to build successful businesses,…

Dua Lipa v Samsung – a UK IP Perspective

Recent headlines have seen pop star Dua Lipa take on technology giant Samsung, issuing proceedings in the United States in relation to the alleged use of her image on Samsung…

Collaborating on IP – drafting considerations

As intellectual property lawyers, we see a broad spectrum of IP arrangements and draft in line with our clients’ commercial objectives. In an ideal world, ownership structures are straightforward: one…

Can You Really Own an Idea? The IP Myths That Won’t Go Away

Intellectual Property is said to protect “creations of the mind”. However, despite popular belief, it doesn’t protect ideas (more on this below). In this blog, we explore (and bust) the…

What can I do to protect my confidential information?

Whilst there are various IP rights covering various IP (think trade marks, copyright, design rights), not everything fits squarely into these boxes. Whilst IP rights cannot protect an idea or…

Transitional Period: Use in the EU will no longer count for cloned UK Trade Marks

After the UK left the European Union, the UK automatically created cloned UK trade marks for each registered EU Trade Mark (“EUTM”) as of 1 January 2021. These cloned marks…

The upcoming April 2026 fee increase from the UKIPO

UK rights holders should be aware the UKIPO is increasing official fees by an average of 25% on 1 April 2026 to cover the costs of inflation and to fund the…

One IPO – a one-stop shop

The UKIPO has announced its plans to streamline IP services through its new One IPO Transformation Programme. The integrated, digital platform will provide a one-stop shop for all UK IP…

Why AI Can’t Be Trusted With Your Trade Marks

Artificial intelligence is now widely used in daily and professional life. It can draft emails, create texts, and even prepare legal documents. At first this may look like a fast…

UK to Retain UK+ IP Exhaustion Regime

The UK Government has confirmed that it will maintain the current ‘UK+ exhaustion regime’ for IP rights. This decision offers clarity and continuity for businesses navigating post-Brexit IP rules. The…

Unlocking IP: What Start-Ups Need to Know

If you’re launching a start-up, intellectual property (IP) could be one of your most valuable assets, sometimes the only one at the outset. Understanding the types of IP rights available,…

Can Copyright Exceptions and Fair Use Defences Justify Unlicensed AI Training Under Intellectual Property Law?

In today’s data-hungry AI landscape, one of the most pressing legal questions is whether copyright and related rights can—or should—bend to accommodate unlicensed training of artificial intelligence models, particularly when…

Protecting Your Food and Drink Packaging

Why Protect Packaging? For food and drink brands, packaging isn’t just practical. Most purchasing decisions are made at a glance, especially by passive shoppers browsing crowded shelves. In such a…

Dubai Chocolate, what’s in a name?

The viral Middle Eastern inspired chocolate bar, dubbed “Dubai Chocolate”, has been the subject of legal disputes in Germany in recent months, in the face of imitations. The pistachio-pastry filled…

Pastel de Nata: A Taste of Portugal and a Lesson in Trade Secrets

We’ve just returned from a fantastic team trip to Portugal – a wonderful few days spent enjoying the sunshine, culture, and of course, plenty of food. It was a proper…

Government (potentially) rows back on proposed changes to UK copyright law

BRIFFA, along with numerous other stakeholders in the creative industries, has been actively lobbying the UK government regarding its recent proposals to reform copyright law in favour of AI development…